Back braces of numerous types have been used in the past for supporting the upper and lower back and to provide corrective therapy for the spine. One commonly used form of brace, known as a Knight Taylor, is a metal brace comprising a thoracic band, a pelvic band, and paraspinal bars extending between the bands. The Knight Taylor brace had little, if any, padding between the rigid metal bars and the patient. Thus, patients often complained about pressure caused by the hard braces. Some Knight Taylor devices were provided with an apron front or a corset front. Besides being uncomfortable, the Knight Taylor devices did not provide lateral trunk stability and did not prevent forward slumping of the patient.
Therefore, a primary objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved thoracic lumbar sacral orthosis device.
A further objective of the present invention is the provision of a back brace jacket having padding between the rigid or semi-rigid brace members and the patient.
Another objective of the present invention is provision of a device for providing corrective support to the upper and lower spine.
A further objective of the present invention is the provision of a back brace which maintains the natural S-shaped curve in the spine.
A further objective of the present invention is the provision of a back brace which provides lateral trunk stability for the patient.
Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a back brace which prevents forward slumping of the patient.
A further objective of the present invention is the provision of a back brace wherein the brace members are made from a thermoplastic material which can be molded to accommodate a particular patient's spine.
Still another objective of the present invention is the provision of a back brace device having auxiliary side pads for lateral support when the patient is sitting in a chair.
Still another objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved back brace which is economical to manufacture, and durable and effective in use.
These and other objectives will become apparent from the following description of the invention.